How to Potty Train Your Puppy
Many first-time puppy parents experience a feeling of dread when it comes to potty training (sometimes referred to as house training) their young puppy. Understandably so, it can be time consuming and a bit messy! Fact: Until your puppy’s approximately five-months old, they do not have full control over their bladder. Accidents will happen — that’s okay.
To help support you, here’s a few ways to optimize potty training your puppy…
Get in the right headspace. You are the trainer. Start your potty training journey with an open mind and heart. Potty training has more to do with you — the dog parent — than it does with your dog. Your potty training successes will occur with consistency, time management (not giving your puppy many opportunities to relieve themselves inside), and positively reinforcing the behavior that you want — often verbal praise paired with a training treat (and maybe some ear scratches or belly rubs for good measure).
Regularity is key. If you have a young, untrained puppy, it’s best to take them out about every 45 minutes during the day. Not to worry, as they progress, the time between potty breaks can get longer.
Potty Break Hack: To determine how long your puppy should be able to hold it, you can use the one-hour-per-month guide (Ex: a four-month-old puppy should be able to hold it for four hours). The key here is to start slow and steady, and add hours as your puppy progresses — this is a testing and learning experience.
Crate training can help reinforce potty training. Why? Puppies are less likely to pee in their crates — it’s their very own cozy, comfy, safe place to sleep or hang out/ get some quiet time. So, when you have to step away or run an errand — your puppy is more likely to “hold it” in their crate.
Crate Hack: To make sure your puppy identifies the crate as their special place or personal home — they should spend quality time there. The crate shouldn’t be used as a punishment when an undesired behavior arises. And, if you can, get an adjustable crate. Your puppy should have enough room to lie down, sit, and turn — but not enough space so that they can have a separate place to pee or poop.
Get on a strict potty training schedule (and stick to it). Create a daily potty training regimen (we recommend printing it out and sticking it on the fridge) and do not deviate from it. Like kids, dogs subconsciously crave structure and stability — this consistency allows them to build trust and rapport with you and the members of your family, too. Include things on the schedule like feeding times (same time every day) potty breaks, crate or confinement time, play time, walk time, and sleep time.
Go potty. (Then go potty again.) Okay, so you’ve got the crate. You’ve got your schedule in hand. Now it’s time to do the darn thing. Take your puppy outside to the same place during each potty break so that they begin to associate “outside” with going potty. Note: Even if you have a beautiful, fenced-in backyard — take your puppy potty on his/her/their leash. (Puppies get easily distracted, and this helps rein them in — literally.)
The Early Days of Going Potty: Give them 10-15 minutes to explore and hopefully go. Keep the excitement and talking to a minimum to keep them focused on the task at hand. If they don’t go potty, bring them back in and confine them in their crate.
Encourage your puppy to go potty with a word or phrase you will use from now on to communicate the behavior — like “go potty” or “do your business.” Pick a phrase that you won’t likely use in other situations. The moment your dog goes, “install” that word or phrase so your dog is linking it with the desired action. The key is timing. If you just keep saying the words over and over when they’re not going, they likely won’t make the connection about what the word means. So make sure they’ve just started going, or, with practice, when they are JUST ABOUT to go (once you’ve learned to read their signals that they are getting ready to pee or poop). Say the word once only.
Reward them when they go potty (immediately). Have training treats on hand. Reward your puppy (ONLY ONCE), right at the moment they are done peeing or pooping, and don’t keep giving the treat during the walk. And be enthusiastic about it. Even though you can only dole out one treat, you can also use a specific marker word like, “Yes” every time so that they know they’ve done well.
Go potty again (and again). Once they’re getting the swing of things, go bigger. Continue to reinforce and solidify this new learned behavior (or habit) — don’t deviate from your schedule, revisit your favorite potty spot, bring those treats with you — only feed them one after they do the do, repeat the same positive verbal cues at the right times — the same words of encouragement when they exhibit signs that they are preparing to go and the same verbal cues after they’ve gone, and you’ll be golden.
Best of luck, puppy parents! Worst comes to worst, if you’re able, maybe invest in a few washable rugs.
Final Reminder: Do deal with accidents right away.
If you come across an accident well after the fact, remain calm. If you attempt to discipline them after the fact, puppies will be unable to comprehend why you’re mad. (They only connect cause and effect that’s simultaneous or happening in the same moment — which is why any type of reinforcement must be initiated immediately following the desired or, in this case, undesired behavior.)
Clean up properly. If not, your puppy will likely return to that same spot for another potty. We recommend using a non-toxic, enzymatic cleaner to completely remove the smell.
